Front fork assembly for cycles



Jan-12,1943, 5H. I .kR'AEFT 308,371

FRONT FDRK ASSEMBLY FOR CYCLES Filed May 1,l 1959 s sheets-sheet 1INVNTOR /fE/E/m/v L. King/f7 ORNEYS Jan., l2, 1943., H. L KRAEFT2,308,371

` FRONT FORK ASSEMBLY FOR cYcLEs m Filed May is, 19:59 3 sheets-sheet 2INVENTOR HERMA/v L. PAE/fr ATrRNEYs 111112,1943. 1 11.1KREi-T `v 308,111

FRONT FORK ASSEMBLY FOR CYCLES Filed My 16. 19:59 s sheets-sheet s B@K11/ffm y@ Patented Jan. 12, '1943 UNITED vsm'rizs mranr OFFICE FRONTFORK ASSEMBLY FOR CYCLES Herman L. Kraeft, Cleveland Heights, Ohio,Vassignor to The Murray-Ohio Manufacturing grlilinpany, Cleveland, Ohio,a corporation of Application May 16, 1939, Serial No. 273,942

(Cl. 'i4-551.4)

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a front fork and handle-bar assembly forcycles. More particularly, the present invention is concerned with animproved handle-bar mounting 'for cycles, and especially forvelocipedes. These, therefore, are the general objects Iof the presentinvention.

Another object of this invention is to provide a cycle, or moreparticularly, a velocipede with an improved front fork and handle-barconstruction, which will enable the production of an extremely rigidcycle, capable of withstanding rough usage to which a childs cycle issubjected.

A more specific object of the-present 'invention is the provision of ahandle-bar mounting for cycles which will free the fork post from theeffects of the .steering torque, as well as those strains usuallyexisting when the handle-bar or handle-bar mounting is secured to thepost. A further object of this' invention is to provide a combinedhandle-bar mounting and front fork construction for cycles, which willenable accessories, such as signal devices, lamps and the like to bemounted on the fork post without interference with either the handle baror the handle-bar mountings of the cycle.

A more specific object of thisinvention is to provide an improvedmounting rfor the handlebars of cycles.

Other objects of this invention will become more apparent from thefollowing description,

reference being had to the accompanying drawings i-n which preferredembodiments of the invention are illustrated. The novel features of theinvention will be summarized in the claims.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a Velocipede, having myimproved front fork and handle-bar assembly incorporated therein; Fig. 2is an enlarged fragmentary rear elevation of one formv of fork andhandle-bar assembly; Fig. 3 is a sectional detail illustrating one formof mounting member for the handle-bar, the plane of the section beingindicated by the line 3 3 on Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a sectional detail, asindicated by the line 8 4 of Fig. 3; Figs. 5, 6, '7 and 8 are enlarged,fragmentary side elevations of modied forms of my improved front forkand handlebar assembly; and Figs. 9, 10, 11 and 12 are fragmentary irontelevations of the forms of the invention shown in Figs. 5, 6, 7 and l8,respectively.

The front fork and handle-bar assembly of the front fork I 0 comprises across-member Ii.

provided with an upstanding post I2, and a :pair of downwardly extendingfork members I4. 'I'he post I2 is adapted to be secured to the frame ofa cycle in any well known manner. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the frontof the 'cycle frame I5 is provided with a substantially verticallyextending sleeve I'B, through which the post I 2 extends. A shoulder IIformed on the fork, adjacentthe base of the post I2, together with .acollar or washer I8, which is ysecured to the post I2 by a bolt I9,serves 'to'prevent relative axial movement between the fork 'and thecycle frame. Anti-friction bearings, not shown, may be disposed betweenthe frame and post in the usual manner, if desired. The fork members I4are spaced apart to embrace and support the front wheel o'f a cycle, andwhich are secured to the fork members in the usual manner.

Cycle forks, as above described, are in general use at the present timeand are either cast, forged or made oi pressed or welded metalconstructions. Generally such forks are provided with hollow posts,adapted and .arranged to receive a downwardly extend-ingV post of ahandlebar, or, as is more often the case, the post oi a handle-barmounting member. In the present invention, however, the handle-bars aresecured to the fork at a point below the post l2, as, for instance, tothe cross-member `I I of the fork. This relieves the post of thesteering torque and such other strains resulting from the handle-bar orhandle-bar mounting clamps or wedges, thus materially increasing thelife of the cycle and enabling the use of a solid post with itsattendant ruggedness, or, in the case 0f pressed metal forks, the use ofinternal post reinforcements, as desired.

The handle-bar may, as shown in the drawings, ccmprise two separate barmembers 25, each bar being secured to the fork I0 at a point belowthe'top of the post I'2, and extending generally upwardly and rearwardlytherefrom to a position where the bars may be conveniently grasped bythe rider of the cycle.

A preferred mounting of the handle bars is shown in Figs. 1 to 4,inclusive. As there illustrated, ra. pair of substantially horizontallyextending handle-bar seats for sockets, in the form of sleeves 26, areVsecured as by weldingr to the upper surfaces of the cross member I'I ofthe fork and on `opposite sides of the post l2. Ii desired, however, thesleeves may be formed or cast integral with the cross-member II. Theinternal diameter of each sleeve 26 is such that it will receive the endof its respective handle-bar 2 j a member 25. Secured to each handle-barmember 25 and spaced from one end thereof is a second sleeve 21,arranged and adapted to abut one end of its respective sleeve 26. Withineach bar and at the sleeved end thereof is a snugly fitting plug 28. Thesleeve 21 and plug 28 are secured to the bar, as by a pin 29, whichpasses through the sleeve, plug and bar, as shown in Fig. 3, and/or bysuitable welds, one of which is indicated at 3E! in Fig. 4. The plug 23has a threaded portion 3| which, when the handle bar CTI is in positionin its sleeve 26, extends beyond theend of the sleeve 26. Thehandle-baris secured in place against axial movement relative toV thesleeve by a nut 32, which .engages the threaded portion 3l of the plugand a collar 33, loosely mounted on the plug but of a diameter which isgreater than the internal diameter 4of the sleeve 26.

Relative rotation between the handle-bar mem- 'bers and thesleeves 26 isprevented by complegaging seat` of the front fork, extends in adirection normal to .the extent of the cross-member of the fork, thatis, in direct parallelism with the wheels of the cycle. The handle-barssecured in these seats extend forwardly from the seats, thence upwardlyand rearwardly, so that their unsupported ends are in position to beconveniently grasped by the operator. It will also be noted thatshipment of the cycle is facilitated without requiring the removal ofthe handle-bars by merely loosening them and swinging them about theaxis of the sleeves 26 into a position shown, where they lie closelyadjacent to the front wheel of the cycle, thus facilitating the shipmentof the cycle.

In Figs. 5 to 12, inclusive, I illustrate modified forms of front forkand handle-bar-assembliesl Figs. 5 and 9 show a construction wherein thesleeves or handle-bar sockets 2B, instead of being separate members, areformed integrally with the front fork cross-bar lla, of the front forka. In this instance, the cross-bar is provided with suitable serratedbosses a arranged to engage respective sleeves 21a, secured to thehandle-bars. in the same manner as the sleeves 21, heretofore described.The handle-bar 25a of Figs. 5 and 9 extends forwardly and thenrearwardly and outwardly to ya convenient position, as do thoseheretofore described.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 6 and 10, the handle-barsockets may comprise either separate sleeves which are welded to thecross-member IIb of the fork lDb, or they may be an integral partthereof. In this instance, however, the handle-bar receiving sockets aremounted so that their axes extend at an acute angle relative to the axisof the post 12b of the fork; In this form relative rotarymovementbetween the 'handle-bars and the sockets may be prevented, asheretofore described in connection with Figs. 1 to 5, or as shown by astrut 4E). This strut extends between the two bars and the ends thereofare wrapped around each bar to form a sleeve, each of which, asindicated in Fig. 10, is secured thereto, as, for instance. by bolts 4l.The strut is provided with a suitable opening whereby it may be securedto the post by the bolt I9, heretofore described, thus taking the placeof the cap I8. Such a spacing member may also be used, if desired, inthe construction heretofore described, in connection with Figs. 5 and 9.

The form of the invention shown in Figs. 7 and 11 is especiallyadaptable for pressed metal fork constructions. As there shown, thehandlebars are each mounted in a socket or sleeve, whichextendsvertically through the cross-bar llc of the fori; Inc and issubstantially in alignment with the fork members Mc. In thisconstruction, the handle-bar socket is preferably a metallicsleevecapable of being welded, as, for instance,

at fill` to the cross-bar of the fork.

The modification illustrated in Figs. 8 and 12, is especially adaptablefor use with anembodiment wherein the handle-bar comprises onecontinuous tubular metal member. In this instance, a transverselyextending seat 5l)4 is formed in a forwardly facing surface of thecross-barV lid-of the fork and the handle-bar 25d is held in positioninthis seat by a cap 5|, through which suitable bolts 52 extend tosecure both the cap and bar in position on the fork.

From the foregoing description it willbe seen that I have provided arugged cycle construction, such as relieves the fork post of steeringstrains and permits the use of such post for the attachment ofaccessories and the like.

I claim:

1. A front fork assembly for a cycle comprising a pair of tubularhandle-bar members, a fork having a cross-member provided with a pair ofdownwardly extending wheel-supporting prongs and an upwardly extendingpost.V for attachment to a cycle frame, a pair of handle-bar receivingsleeves secured to said cross-member and arranged and adapted to receivethe ends of respective handle-bar members, each handle-bar having -asleeve secured thereto and spaced from one end thereof, each of saidlast-named sleeves being adapted and arranged to abut one end of itsrespective rst-named sleeves, a plug in each handle-bar member, meansincluding a pin passing through the plug, sleeve and handle-bar memberto prevent relative movement between the same, and means carried by saidplug to retain said sleeves in their abutting relationship.

2. A front fork assembly for a cycle, comprising a fork having across-member provided with a pair of downwardly extendingwheel-supporting prongs and an upwardly extending post for attachment toa cycle frame, said cross-member having a pair of forwardly openingseats, said seats being disposed on opposite sides of the wheel plane ofsaid forks, a pair of handle-bars one mounted in each seat, the minorportions of said bars extending forwardly from vsaid seats and the majorportion ofsaid bars extending upwardly, outwardly, and rearwardly, andcooperative means carried by said bars and seats to secure said bars insaidv seats againstfmovement relative to said fork and in a positionsuch that all portions of each bar lie on the same side of the Wheelplane as the seat to which it is connected.

HERMAN L. KRAEFT.

